Coiler

ABSTRACT

A coiler for coiling a metal rod or the like and that includes a flyer tube and a motion control means which includes a first driving means for rotating the flyer tube about an axis of rotation along which the metal rod to be coiled is fed into the flyer tube and about which the discharge end of the flyer tube moves in a circle and a second driving means for moving the axis of rotation of the flyer tube in a conical plane of motion about a substantially vertical line of reference which becomes the centerline of the coil of metal rod formed by the coiler.

United States Patent 72] Inventor Kenneth Ray Stone Newnan, Ga. [21] Appl. No. 773,792

22 File-1t NOV. 6., I968 [45] Patented Aug. 17, I971 [73] Assignee Southwlre Company Carrollton, Ga.

[54] COILER 12 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

[52] 11.8. CI 242/82 [51 Int. Cl B2lc 47/02, B2 1f 3/08 [50] Field of Search 242/82, 83

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 373,463 11/1887 Lenox 242/82 x V Hubbard 242/83 X 1,121,480 12/1914 Connelly .t 242/82 UX 2,997,249 8/1961 Meinshauscm 242/82 3.270.977 9/1966 l'llluu 242/112 Primary Examiner-George F. Mautz Assistant Examiner-Gregory A. Walters Attorney-Jones and Thomas of motion about a substantially vertical line of reference which becomes the centerline of the coil of metal rod formed by the coiler.

PATENTEDAUBI new 3.599.991

sum 2 or 2 an 2 I 11 I 24 fi INVENTOR.

53 @Qnmeth fiayflo ne ATTORNEYS COILER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a coiler for coiling a metal rod or the'like and more particularly to a coiler for coiling a metal rod as it is discharged from a rolling mill or the like to provide a coil or package of metal rod from which the metal rod is easily and conveniently removed for feeding to a drawing machine or the like for further processing.

2. Description of the Prior Art Coilers for coiling wire, metal rod and other strandlike material are well known inthe prior art. Many of these prior art coilers include a rotating drum or deadblock on which a metal rod is progressively rolled and from which loops of the metal rod are progressively pushed by the addition of metal rod to the rotating drum or deadblock. Moreover, most of these prior art coilers either place loops of the metal rod on a stationary platform with the centers of all loops coinciding with the centerline of the coil or distribute loops of the metal rod so that the centers. of all loops do not coincide with the centerline of the coil by moving a platform or turntable on which the loops are placed whenthe coil is being formed.

A number of difficulties have been encountered with these prior art coilers because of these characteristics. For example, in the forming of a coil from a metal rod which is being initially and continuously discharged from an apparatus such as a rolling mill, those prior art coilers using a rotating drum or deadblock are difficult if not impossible to use because it is practically impossible to place the initial loop of a rapidly moving metal rod in position on the rotating drum or deadblock.

With those prior art coilers in which the loops of a'metal rod are placed upon a stationary platform so that the centers of all the loops substantially coincide with the centerline of the coil, the loops become easily entangled so as to make the feeding of the metal rod from the coil to a wire drawing machine or similar apparatus for further processing difficult. With prior art coilers in which a moving platform or turntable is used to provide for a distribution of loops which is such that the loops do not become easily entangled because the centers of the loops do not all coincide with the centerline of the coil, the necessary motion of the platform or turntable requires a driving mechanism that is difficult to control and that makes the prior art coiler relatively expensive.

The difficulty with imparting motion to a platform or turntable in those prior art coilers with which the loops of a metal rod are positioned so that they do not become easily entangled is increased when one of these prior art coilers is used to coil a metal rod into relatively large coil of great weight. This is because of the driving mechanism for imparting motion to the platform or turntable must be sufficiently large to move the weight ofthe coil.

' SUMMARY THE INVENTION The invention disclosed herein avoids the foregoing and other dlffiCUltlES encountered with prior art coilers. This is because the invention provides a coiler for coiling a metal rod or the like as it is initially and continuously discharged from a rolling mill or the like into a coil or package by motion of only a flyer tube relative to a platform.

These improvements in a coiler are provided by a coiler having a flyer tube through which a metal rod is fed and having a motion control means for controlling the motion of the flyer tube relative to a platform below the flyer tube so that the motion of the flyer tube causes the forming of a coil in which the center of each loop is displaced from the center of the preceding loop along a circular path and in which each loop has a diameter less than the diameter of the coil but which is sufficiently large for the loop to enclose the centerline of the coil. The motion control means includes a first driving means for rotating the flyer tube about an axis of rotation so that a metal rod being fed into the receiving end of the flyer tube along the axis of rotation is discharged from the discharge end of the flyer tube as a series of successive loops which fall downwardly to a platform.

In addition, the motion control means includes, a second driving means for moving the axis of rotation. of the flyer tube in a conical plane of motion about a substantially vertical line of reference that becomes the centerline of the coil being formed. In the coil formed by the coiler, the loops of a metal rod are in an overlapping pattern that prevents the loops from being readily entangled.

It is because a metal rod which is coiled by the coiler disclosed herein is coiled by simply being fed through the flyer tube that the coiler avoids the difficulty encountered with many prior art coilers having a rotating drum or deadblock in the forming of the initial loop and is ideally suited to the coiling of a metal rod as it passes initially and continuously from a rolling mill. It is because the coiler disclosed herein requires only the motion of the flyer tube in order to form a coil of metal rod in which the loops do not become readily entangled that the coiler disclosed herein provides a coiler thata'voids those difficulties with prior art coilers which place loo'ps'with their centers coinciding or which require motion of a platform or turntable. It is for the same reason that the coiler disclosed herein is inexpensive and easy to maintain relative to prior art coilers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING These and other features and advantages of the invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawing in which like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout and in which:

FIG. 1 is a simplified side elevational view of an embodiment of the invention disclosed herein;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the motion control means in that embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is atop plan view of a portion of a coil formed by that embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1 and shows the centerline of the coil and the circular path in which the centers of the loops are placed by motion of the axis of rotation of the flyer tube.

DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT The following detailed description and the accompanyingdrawing disclose an embodiment of the invention. However, it should be understood that the invention may be embodied in other equivalent forms without departing from the inventive concept.

The invention disclosed herein is most easily understood as comprising a flyer tube 10 movable by a motion control means 11 relative to a platform 12 on which a coil 14 of a metal rod 15 or the like is to be formed. As shown in FIG. 1, the coiler includes a frame F which may be any convenient structure and a metal rod 15 to be coiled on the platform 12 is conveniently fed from a rolling mill R or the like in an arcuate tube T to pinch rolls P.

Considering the flyer tube 10 and the motion control means 11 in more detail, it will be seen from FIG. 2 that the receiving end 16 of the flyer tube 10 is fixedly positioned in the inner member 18 of a universal joint 19. The outer member 20 of the universal joint 19 is fixedly inserted into a driving cylinder 21 which is rotatably supported by a plurality of bearings 22 positioned within a collar 24 mounted on the frame F The universal joint 19 serves to operatively connect the driving cylinder 21 to the flyer tube 10 so that rotation of the driving cylinder 21 causes rotation of the flyer tube 10 about its axis of rotation 25. Moreover, the universal joint 19 is a constant velocity universal joint so that the angular velocity of .the flyer tube 10 about its axis of rotation 25 is constant for a given angular velocity of the driving cylinder 21 regardless of the angle between the axis of rotation of the flyer tube 10 and the axis of rotation 26 of the driving cylinder 21.

More specifically, the universal joint 19 is a Rezepa type of universal joint in which motion is transmitted between the flyer tube 10 and the driving cylinder 21 by a plurality of balls 28 rolling in curved raceways 29 and in which the geometry of the grooved raceways 29 maintains the balls 28 in a plane that bisects the angle between the flyer tube 10 and the driving cylinder 21. A constant velocity universal joint such as the universal joint 19 will be understood by those skilled in the art and can be obtained from sources such as the Con-Vel Division of the Dana Corporation in Detroit, Michigan.

Mounted upon the upper end of the driving cylinder 21 is a driving pulley 30 which is driven with a belt 31 from a pulley 32 and a reducing gear 34 by a motor 35. Thus, when the motor 35 is operated at a constant speed, the flyer tube 10 is rotated about its axis of rotation at a constant angular velocity determined by the speed of the motor 35. It will now be understood that the motion control means 11 includes a first driving means for rotating the flyer tube 10 at a substantially constant angular velocity about its axis of rotation 25.

Supported below the universal joint 19 on the frame F is a rotatable turntable 36. In that embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 2, the turntable 36 is supported by a cylinder 38 from a supporting disc 39 which rests on a plurality of ball transfer units 40 positioned on the frame F.

The supporting disc 39 positions the turntable 36 for rotation in a substantially horizontal plane of motion about an axis of rotation 41 which coincides with the axis of rotation 26 of the driving cylinder 21. As shown in FIG. 1, the turntable 36 is rotated by a tire 42 which engages a circumferential driving surface 43 of the turntable 36 and which is driven through a reducing gear 44 by a motor 45.

The flyer tube 10 extends from the universal joint 19 downwardly through an aperture 46 in the supporting disc 39 and an aperture 48 in the turntable 36. The aperture 48 in the turntable 36 is displaced from the axis of rotation 41 of the turntable 36 and the flyer tube 10 is positioned within the aperture 48 for rotation about its axis of rotation 25 by single row, tapered roller bearing 49 of conventional design.

It will now be understood that rotation of the turntable 36 by operation of the motor causes the axis of rotation 25 of the flyer tube 10 to move in a cone of motion about a substantially vertical line of reference which is the axis of rotation 41 of the turntable 26. Thus, it will be understood that the motion control means 11 includes a second driving means for moving the axis of rotation 25 of the flyer tube 10 in a cone of motion. Moreover, it will be understood that with the simultaneous operation of the motor 35 and the motor 45, the flyer tube 10 is rotated about its axis of rotation 25 as it moves in the cone of motion about the axis of rotation 41 of the turntable 36.

Beneath the turntable 36, the flyer tube 10 gently curves to terminate at a discharge end 50 which is displaced from the axis of rotation 25 of the flyer tube 10 so that it describes a circle having its center in the axis of rotation 25 of the flyer tube 10 and lying in a plane of reference perpendicular to the axis of rotation 25 of the flyer tube 10. That portion 51 of the fiyer tube 10 adjacent to the discharge end 50 of the flyer tube 10 has its centerline generally coinciding with the circle described by the discharge end 50 of the flyer tube 10 as the flyer tube 10 rotates about its axis of rotation 25 so that a metal rod 15 being discharged from the flyer tube 10 is placed in a series ofloops 52 each having the axis of rotation 25 ofthe flyer tube 10 as its center. Thus, in that embodiment of the invention disclosed herein, the first driving means serves as a means for rotating the flyer tube 10 about its axis of rotation 25 to form loops 52 in a metal rod 15 and the second driving means serves as a means for moving the axis of rotation 25 of the fiyer tube 10 in a conical plane of reference so as to distribute the loops 52 on a platform 12,

OPERATION The coiler disclosed herein will be better understood from the following description of its operation in coiling a metal rod 15 to provide a coil 53. During operation of the coiler, the metal rod 15 is fed from the pinch rolls P through a feed pipe 54 to the receiving end 16 of the flyer tube 10.

It will be understood that the feed pipe 54 passes through an aperture 55 in the driving pulley 30 and that the feed pipe 54 is stationary and serves only as a means for delivering the metal rod 15 to the receiving end16 of the flyer tube 10 along a path which terminates where the axis of rotation 41 of the turntable 36 is continuous with the axis of rotation 25 of the flyer tube.

Subsequent to entering the receiving end 16 of the flyer tube 10, the metal rod 15 passes through the flyer tube 10 to be discharged from the flyer tube 10 at the discharge end 50 of the flyer tube 10 as a plurality of successive loops 52. Each of the loops 52 has a diameter generally corresponding to the displacement of the discharge end 50 of the flyer tube 10 from the axis of rotation 25 of the flyer tube 10. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the diameter of each loop 52 is also a function of the angular velocity of the flyer tube 10 about its axis of rotation 25 relative to the linear velocity of the metal rod 15 as it passes through the flyer tube 10.

Thus, the greater the angular velocity of the discharge end 50 of the flyer tube 10 relative to the linear velocity of the metal rod 15, the smaller the diameter of the loops 52. Conversely, the smaller the angular velocity of the discharge end 50 of the flyer tube 10 relative to the linear velocity of the metal rod 15, the larger the diameter of the loops 52. This is because one complete revolution of the flyer tube 10 about its axis of rotation 25 forms a loop 52 and because the greater or fewer the number of rotations of the flyer tube 10 about its axis of rotation 25 as a given length of the metal rod 15 passes through the flyer tube 10, the greater or fewer the number of loops 52 formed in the given length of the metal rod 15 and the smaller or greater the diameter of the loops 15.

As the loops 52 are being formed by rotation of the flyer tube 10 about its axis of rotation 25, the loops 52 pass downwardly by gravity from the discharge end 50 of the flyer tube 10 to the platform 12. However, as the loops 52 are being formed by rotation of the flyer tube 10 about its axis of rotation 25, the axis of rotation 25 of the flyer tube 10 is being moved in a conical plane of reference about the axis of rotation 41 of the turntable 36. Thus, the loops 52 falling from the discharge end 50 of the flyer tube 10 are distributed with their centers in a circular path 60 having its center in the axis of rotation 41 of the turntable 36.

It will be understood that the displacement of the discharge end 50 of the flyer tube 10 from the axis of rotation 25 of the flyer tube 10 and the maximum displacement of the axis of rotation 25 of the flyer tube 10 from the axis of rotation 41 of the turntable 36 are selected so that for most operating speeds of the flyer tube 10 and of the turntable 36, the loops 52 of the metal rod 15 have a diameter whiz 'v is less than the diameter of the coil 53 but which is sufficiently great to include the centerline ofthe coil 53 as defined by the axis of rotation 41 of the turntable 36. Moreover, it will be understood that the angular velocity of the turntable 36 relative to the linear velocity of the metal rod 15 determines the distribution of the loops 52 along the circular path 60 and that the loops 52 are most appropriately placed so that each loop.52 overlaps the preceding loop 52 along the path 60. The result of overlapping the loops 52 and of the diameter of the loops 52 described above is a coil 53 in which the loops 52 do not become easily entangled and from which the metal rod 15 is easily and conveniently fed to a wire drawing machine or similar apparatus for further processing.

From the foregoing description of an embodiment of the invention disclosed herein and ofits operation, it will now be understood that the invention provides a coiler for forming a coil 53 from which a metal rod 15 is easily and conveniently fed to a wire drawing machine or the like for further processing and that this coil 53 is provided without requiring motion of the platform 12 on which the coil 53 is formed and with only that motion of a flyer tube provided by the motion control means 11. It is for this reason that a coiler embodying the invention disclosed herein is inexpensive and easy to maintain relative to prior art coilers. Moreover, since a coiler embodying the invention disclosed herein requires only that a metal rod 15 be fed into the receiving end 16 of the flyer tube 10, a coiler embodying the invention disclosed herein is placed in operation for coiling of a metal rod 15 which is initially and continuously discharged from ficulties encountered with prior art coilers.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many variations may be made in the embodiments chosen for the purpose of illustrating the present invention without departing from the scope thereof as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. in a coiler for coiling a strand to form a coil having a centerline, a flyer tube through which a strand is passed along an arcuate path to a discharge end, and motion control means for simultaneously rotating said flyer tube about an axis of rotation and moving said axis of rotation about a line of reference.

2. The coiler of claim 1 in which said motion control means moves said axis of rotation in a conical planeof motion about said line of reference and in which said line of reference is said centerline of said coil.

3. The coiler of claim 2 in which said discharge end is displaced from said axis of rotation.

4. The coiler of claim 3 in which said flyer tube has a receiving end in said axis of rotation and in which said strand moves toward said receiving end in said line of reference.

a rolling mill R without the dif- 5. The, coiler of claim 4 in which said strand is a metal rod discharged from a rolling mill and including a feed tube for delivering'said metal rod to said receiving end of said flyer tube.

6. The coiler of claim 5 in which said motion control means includes a first driving means for rotating said flyer tube and a second driving means for moving said axis of rotation about said line of reference.

7. The coiler of claim 6 in which said first driving means includes a driving cylinder having an axis of rotation coinciding with said line of reference and a universal joint operatively connecting said driving cylinder and said flyer tube.

8. The coiler of claim 7 in which said universal joint is a constant velocity universal joint.

9. The coiler of claim 6 in which said second driving means includesa turntable rotatable about an axis of rotation which substantially coincides with said line of reference and having an aperture in which said flyer tube is rotatably positioned.

10. The coiler of claim 9 in which said aperture is displaced from said line of reference.

1 l. The coiler of claim 1 in which the centerline of said flyer tube adjacent said discharge end substantially coincides with a circle of motion in which said discharge end moves about said axis of rotation.

12. In a coiler for coiling a metal rod into a coil having a centerline, a flyer tube curved along its length through which said metal rod moves, and a motion control means for moving said flyer tube in a pattern of motion which forms said metal rod into a series of loops placed on a stationary platform with the centers of the loops arranged in a circle having its center in a line of reference which is within the loops. 

1. In a coiler for coiling a strand to form a coil having a centerline, a flyer tube through which a strand is passed along an arcuate path to a discharge end, and motion control means for simultaneously rotating said flyer tube about an axis of rotation and moving said axis of rotation about a line of reference.
 2. The coiler of claim 1 in which said motion control means moves said axis of rotation in a conical plane of motion about said line of reference and in which said line of reference is said centerline of said coil.
 3. The coiler of claim 2 in which said discharge end is displaced from said axis of rotation.
 4. The coiler of claim 3 in which said flyer tube has a receiving end in said axis of rotation and in which said strand moves toward said receiving end in said line of reference.
 5. The coiler of claim 4 in which said strand is a metal rod discharged from a rolling mill and including a feed tube for delivering said metal rod to said receiving end of said flyer tube.
 6. The coiler of claim 5 in which said motion control means includes a first driving means for rotating said flyer tube and a second driving means for moving said axis of rotation about said line of reference.
 7. The coiler of claim 6 in which said first driving means includes a driving cylinder having an axis of rotation coinciding with said line of reference and a universal joint operatively cOnnecting said driving cylinder and said flyer tube.
 8. The coiler of claim 7 in which said universal joint is a constant velocity universal joint.
 9. The coiler of claim 6 in which said second driving means includes a turntable rotatable about an axis of rotation which substantially coincides with said line of reference and having an aperture in which said flyer tube is rotatably positioned.
 10. The coiler of claim 9 in which said aperture is displaced from said line of reference.
 11. The coiler of claim 1 in which the centerline of said flyer tube adjacent said discharge end substantially coincides with a circle of motion in which said discharge end moves about said axis of rotation.
 12. In a coiler for coiling a metal rod into a coil having a centerline, a flyer tube curved along its length through which said metal rod moves, and a motion control means for moving said flyer tube in a pattern of motion which forms said metal rod into a series of loops placed on a stationary platform with the centers of the loops arranged in a circle having its center in a line of reference which is within the loops. 